A Brew for the Books: Historic coffee in Historic Downtown

When we first moved to our city, I would see so many events happening in our Historic Downtown. From new restaurants to stage shows, Christmas festivals to park groundbreakings, the downtown area is constantly developing. If you’ve heard of Plano, you probably know of it as a breeding ground for corporate headquarters and the flood of young families and millennials moving to the area – all attracted to new companies (and new jobs). Though my eyes were caught by everything going on, it wasn’t until Christmas time that I saw a hot pink sign announcing a new coffee company. My attention was locked. IMO, there can never be too many coffee shops, and if you know me at all, you know I jump at the chance to try a new brew.

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Months went by, and every time we visited downtown, I would check on the progress of XO Coffee Company. Come February, the doors officially OPENED, and I didn’t waste any time ☕ .

After a few visits just for the coffee alone, having fallen in love with the atmosphere, product and people, I decided to meet the owners of XO Coffee Company. In our short time, I learned much about their passion for serving others – in this case, serving great coffee and even better food to others.

The Journey to the Brew

The journey started 2 years ago, when husband and wife team David Martin and Linda McCall decided to brew their dream to life. When Linda studied abroad in Barcelona, she fell in love with coffee, even though she hardly enjoyed before that. When she and David were dating, she would take him to local coffee shops to show him what a really good cup of coffee tasted like. This dream formed when they wanted a new opportunity to tackle together.

When the two saw a building for rent in Downtown Plano, they decided right away that it was time to make this crazy dream of theirs come true. Living in Plano themselves, they couldn’t think of a better place to have their business. With a desire to be in a walkable and increasingly popular area, Historic Downtown Plano seemed to be the perfect place for XO Coffee Company.

A Little Bit of History

Demolition began, and they started hiring baristas along with chefs. Linda, who has extensive experience in interior design, had the idea to have a central bar with an exposed ceiling. They respected the old building and used the glass panels they found in the attic and some wood that is now a panel by the high-top seats.

Being in a “downtown” is being in a close community. When asked what their target audience is, the two answered that it’s not one set of people.

“With apartments nearby, it brings in a wide range of people from families to college kids” David said. “Everyone comes in, and that’s how we like it”

THE MENU

Now, let’s get to the menu itself.

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Linda wanted coffee as the center, along with non-coffee items. With syrups that are homemade and a chef who came up with the menu, the breakfast and lunch items are not your typical coffee shop menu items. Some of those items include quiches for breakfast all the way to a balsamic marinated grilled mushroom
sandwich for lunch. They even have a pastry chef who makes all the pastries IN HOUSE. YUM.

They decided to serve Novel Coffee, who is also passionate about their products and conveniently located in Garland, Texas.

XO wanted to differentiate themselves from other coffee shops in the area, and with this food and drink menu, they do just that.

As I sipped on my vanilla latte, I asked what each of their favorite drinks were. Linda agreed with me and said the vanilla latte and with it heating up in Texas, David chose the nitro cold-brew. Pouring like a Guinness beer, the nitrogen-infused cold coffee comes out on tap.

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Food. Food. Food. Linda and I agreed yet again on our favorite edible items: the caesar salad, while David said that his favorites are the blueberry waffle, breakfast burrito, and quiches, along with the pulled pork sandwich for lunch.

XO

Overall, the couple wants their customers to remember their food just as much as their coffee. They pride themselves on customer service and want everyone to come in not just for coffee, but to feel full and happier when they leave. A lot of people can give you a good cup of coffee, but XO Coffee Company gives you the complete customer experience.

XO Coffee Company is excited to be a part of Downtown Plano and plug into all the events, and becoming a fixture in the community. Be sure to visit them next time you’re in Historic Downtown Plano!